My wicked cat was confusing the closet floor with her cat box for a while several months ago. I had thought the residual smell in there was just from the carpet, but when I pulled out my most favorite pair of winter boots (actually, they're the most comfortable pair of shoes I own, flat-out), I saw that she'd nailed them but good.

I've tried saddle soap, and I've tried some foot-oder stuff that was suggested to me at a shoe repair shop. Those have helped a little, but the boots still smell. Please, can anyone help me?

Throwing them away really isn't an option at the moment. They're not only my favorite pair of winter boots, they're also my ONLY pair of winter boots (unless I count the ones with the heels, which I don't because they kill my feet deader than dead).

However, getting them professionally cleaned isn't so much an option, either. These boots are already kind of at the end of their natural lifespan. The zipper broke (I did a make-shift repair job), the soles are worn out... I just need them until the shoe stores start having their spring sales.

My mom wants to try soaking them in vinegar. Anyone know if this would have any beneficial effect?

The vinegar may have a beneficial effect on the smell, but will definitely have a detrimental effect on the leather. Not to mention, it may dissolve the glue that's holding the sole on if they're as old as all that. Pretty much whenever to try to match the word "leather" with the word "soak" you have a problem. Leather doesn't like to get soaked in water, and it sure doesn't like to be soaked in acid.

Unfortunately I have never had sucess with cat pee+ leather. I had to throw away a pair of leather-lined riding breeches (and they cost a pretty penny, I'll tell you what) after they got peed on. I tried Nature's Miracle (multiple applications) regular detergent, special detergent formulated for leather, Nature's Miracle+detergent+machine washing (I was getting kind of desperate there) but they still smelled -- and almost as strong as when I started.

You definitely want an enzyme-based cleaner. An enzyme-based formula will actually break down the organic molecules that cause the smell. A "deodorizer", "cleaner" or "stain remover" won't do that.

I take it from the name of the above-recommended cleaner that it qualifies, but I don't know the product. The one I use religiously is "Outright", available at your local pet store if nowhere else. It comes as a concentrate, or as a pre-mix that they call "Simple Solution."

Even though I don't have pets any longer, I still keep a bottle around for those other body-fluid-based messes that crop up from time-to-time (especially when you have kids.)

Put them into a box
Sprinkly baking soda on them (sprinkle, don't rub it in)
then place some charcoal in the box (not the kind with lighter fluid already on it for chrissakes!)
then seal the box for 24 or 48 hours.

This worked on a cat piss infested closet of mine at my old house.
I don't think the baking soda will harm the leather. Anyone know about this?

The one I use religiously is "Outright", available at your local pet store if nowhere else.

The one I use, and appears to be universally available here in SoCal, is Nature's Miracle.

It's a solution of enzymes in isopropyl alcohol and water. If the stain is wet, blot as much as possible. If it's dry, rinse out as much as you can and let dry until damp. Then saturate with the Nature's Miracle. Soak it but good. Then set the item aside to dry. Do not blot up or rinse out the product. You may still smell urine while it dries, but wait until the item is completely dry. If it still smells repeat the process.

It will work. And it works very well, especially if you catch the stain while still fresh. My cat just urinated on my wife's new split buffalo hide shag rug from Ikea (don't ask) and I caught it right away. One treatment and it was as good as new... not even a watermark.

My wicked cat was confusing the closet floor with her cat box for a while several months ago. I had thought the residual smell in there was just from the carpet, but when I pulled out my most favorite pair of winter boots (actually, they're the most comfortable pair of shoes I own, flat-out), I saw that she'd nailed them but good.

I've tried saddle soap, and I've tried some foot-oder stuff that was suggested to me at a shoe repair shop. Those have helped a little, but the boots still smell. Please, can anyone help me?

I recommend first getting rid of the cat.

JUST KIDDING!!

My sister swears to something she found at the janitorial supply store. Unfortunately, she don't remember what is was called.

I've used skunk odor remover on cat spray. I've not used it on leather, but it works great on everything else.

The boots are goners anyway. You can not wear them due to the urine smell, or you can experiment a little. Use paper towels to keep whatever solution you use in contact with the affected areas. Hold the boots upside down when rinsing to minimize wetting of the sole glue. Blot thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess water after rinsing then put them upside down on broom handles or beer bottles or whatever so water does not pool inside. Manipulating the leather occasionally as they dry will keep the leather from getting stiff, When you are sure all odor is gone, use waterproofing of your choice.

Outright is very, very good stuff. It got vomit odor out of my friend's car door pockets.

Nature's Miracle would be my first method of attack as well. If that doesn't work, there's the inexpensive old standby of placing the boots in a sealed plastic bag full of apple slices for a few days. It's amazing how many odors that technique can solve, although cat pee might be beyond its capablities.